Self-consistent model of nanowire growth and crystal structure with regard to the adatom diffusion

A self-consistent model of growth and structure of semiconductor nanowires is proposed. The crystal phase of group III–V semiconductor nanowires is studied. The critical radius of the transition from the hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure to the cubic structure of zinc blende (ZB) type is calculated as a function of parameters of the system of materials and the gaseous medium supersaturation. The model presented here is applicable to both gas-phase and molecular beam epitaxies and allows one to calculate the probability of formation of the WZ and ZB phases under various deposition conditions.